Okotie approves tattoo, plastic surgery for church members

Reverend Christopher Okotie, the General Overseer of the Oregun, Lagos State-based church, Household of God Church, has approved tattoo and plastic beauty surgery for members who wish to have them.
This was announced a couple of Sundays back in the church auditorium. Okotie said tattoo and plastic surgeries are not sins before God. He further said many misinterpret scriptures in the Bible as been against body art and enhancement. The funky pastor however added that having both are individual decisions and has nothing to do with God.

Wizkid, Banky W part ways

We have it on good authority that popular R and B super singer, Wizkid, has bowed out of Banky W’s record label, EME Music, over irreconcilable differences.
A source close to two top Nigerian super stars revealed that the rift has to do with the sharing of proceeds from a deal.
Information pieced together by The Eagle Online has it that Wizkid has been the back bone of the music company because of his popularity.
However, some allege that Banky W, as the owner of the label, has been “milking” too much from Wizkid, with the larger chunk of money from any deal coming through Wizkid into the company taken by Banky W.
And Wizkid, as we reliable gathered, has not been too happy with this development, which has been source of worry to him.
A dependable source however disclosed that Wizkid had threatened to leave since last year but was advised by his mum to exercise some patience as things may take a new shape.
There has been no official statement from the two parties as at press time.

18 killed as JTF invades Boko Haram training camp

No fewer than 18 persons have been confirmed dead when the Joint Task Force, codenamed Operation Restore Order, in Borno State invaded the training camp of dreaded sect, Boko Haram in a forest in the state.
According to the spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, 17 members of the Boko Haram sect were shot dead during the operation while a security operative lost his life.
According to Musa, the training camp, located in Sambisa Game Reserve in Bama Local Government Area and Farin-Ruwa Forest South West/East of Demboa Local Government Area, was invaded by the JTF on Wednesday, with the operation spilling into Thursday.
The statement on Friday said the mission was made possible with the usage of a Nigerian Air Force helicopter gunship, which was used to dislodge the members of Boko Haram from the camp.
Musa said in the statement: “The camp was properly sighted and fortified and had training facilities, armoury, accommodation, drugs store/medical, kitchen, vehicle holding area, latrine and water points (River).”
He said during the exchange of gunfire, 17 Boko Haram members and a soldier were killed.
Some of the items recovered from the camp were six AK 47 rifles, two G3 rifles, three pistols, one Rocket Propelled Grenade Bomb, one RPG Tube, 20 RPG Chargers, two double barrel rifles and 2,543 assorted ammunition.

Appeal Court affirms Rev. King's death penalty

The Court of Appeal in Lagos, Friday, upheld the death sentence handed to Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, also known as Reverend King, of the Christian Praying Assembly.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Fatima Akinbami, the court held that the evidence of the prosecution, during the trial, was “overwhelming and damning” and proved beyond reasonable doubt that he committed the crimes he was arraigned for.
Mr. Ezeugo, the church’s General Overseer, was condemned to death by Justice Joseph Oyewole of a Lagos High Court, in 2007, for murder of a church member.
“The judgment on 11th January 2007 is hereby affirmed,” said Mrs. Akinbami, who headed the three man panel of judges.
In a two hour long ruling, Ms. Akinbami said that after “painstakingly and meticulously” looking into the judgment of the lower court; she discovered that Mr. Ezeugo, rather than protecting and guiding his followers, resorted to setting them ablaze.
“I must state that the conduct of the appellant (Mr. Ezeugo) was indeed sad and unfortunate,” Ms. Akinbami said.
“Instead of offering his followers’ bread, he gave them stone. When they demanded for fish, he gave them scorpion,” she added.
The case
Mr. Ezeugo was arraigned on a six-count charge of attempted murder of six church members and murder of one.
Following allegations of misconduct including fornication, the victims were made to kneel down before the pastor, who directed that fuel be poured on them.
Mr. Ezeugo stuck a match, setting all six ablaze.
While Chiejina Olise, Chizoba Onuorah, Vivian Ezeocha, Jessica Nwene, Kosisochukwu Ezenwankwo sustained serious burns; Ann Uzor did not survive.
Doctors said that Ms. Uzor died of Hypovolemic shock – an emergency condition in which severe blood and fluid loss make the heart unable to pump enough blood.
The judges said that the testimonies of the witnesses painted a “dastardly and nefarious” role by Mr. Ezeugo on July 22, 2006.
Mr. Oyewole, the trial judge, had found the cleric guilty on the first five counts of attempted murder and sentenced him to 20 years with hard labour on each count.
The sentences were to run concurrently.
But on the sixth count of murder, Mr. Oyewole sentenced the defendant to death by hanging.
On June 10, 2008, the Court of Appeal granted Mr. Ezeugo leave to file an appeal over his sentencing.

‘I’m not guilty’
In his appeal, Mr. Ezeugo raised concerns about the admissibility of some of the exhibits of the prosecution.
“The burnt injuries were from a generator accident and the appellant was not responsible for the said injuries,” Olalekan Ojo, Mr. Ezeugo’s lawyer, stated in his appeal.
He also stated that Mr. Ezeugo was in his bedroom and only rushed out when he heard cries of the victims.
Mr. Ojo maintained that the prosecution did not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt as their witnesses had given conflicting accounts of the incident.
In their accounts of the night’s event, one of the witnesses said that after the fuel was poured on them, Mr. Ezeugo struck the match.
However, another witness said that the match box was brought to the pastor after his lighter failed.
Ms. Akinbami said that whether the match was struck straightaway or after the lighter failed was immaterial.
“It is not every contradiction in the prosecution that will raise a doubt. For a contradiction to be material, it must lead to a miscarriage of justice,” the judge said.
Reacting to the judgment, Olabisi Ogungbesan, the prosecution counsel, said that it would serve as deterrence to other “so-called men of God who go about abusing their followers.”
“There was no miscarriage of justice by the trial court and all the grounds of appeal were found to be misconceived,” said Mrs. Ogungbesan, the Director of Public Prosecution, Lagos State.
“We are very pleased. Justice has been done today, typical of our appellate courts in this country,” she added.
Mr. Ojo said that his client would appeal against the judgment.
“I am sure that the appellant (Mr. Ezeugo), who has always maintained his innocence, who has always seen himself as a victim of vicious manipulation of a gang of reckless and mischievous persons, would want to go further in the judicial hierarchy,” Mr. Ojo said.
A resolution adopted by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in Abuja, in 2008; urged all African states to observe a moratorium on the execution of death sentences, with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
Based on that, Mr. Ezeugo, who is presently in Katsina Prisons, may have his death sentence reduced to life imprisonment before execution of the sentence.
Premium Times.

EFCC arrests 20 internet fraudsters

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested 20 suspected internet fraudsters.
The arrest, which was carried out in a joint operation with officers of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Edo State, followed intelligence report on the activities of the internet fraudsters.
They were nabbed in a surprise raid on their cyber office tucked in an old building located on Siluko Road, Benin City.
At the point of arrest, the fraudsters had in their possession 45 laptops of different make, 28 telephone sets, eight internet mobile modems and one Nissan car with registration number USL 375 AG.
The suspected fraudsters, who are mostly in their 20s, include: Idehen Obabueki, Adesa Lucky, Usuagu Uche, Eloghosa Olikiabor, Larry Edomwonyi, Amowie Maike, Francis Ezegbede, Itua Samuel and Endurance John Egbeifo. Others are Amego Ovenseri, Iyen Ighodaro, Philip Agbodori, Lucky Robinson, Nnadi Obinna, Osabuohien Osahon, Chinenu Eze, Peter Sunday, Solomon Ogu, Niyi Femi and Osagie Aghedo.
The suspects have made useful statements, the EFCC said on Thursday.
Most of them confessed to be engaged in online dating of foreigners, particularly widows.
They also confessed to using different pseudo names and faces to deceive their prospective victims.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

85-year-old arrested for raping school girl

An 85-year-old man from Ijebu area in Ogun State, simply identified as Baba Segun, but popularly known as Baba Yellow, is in the police custody for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl (name withheld).
Officers attached to the Onipanu Police Station in Shomolu area of Lagos State arrested Baba Yellow following an uproar in the area that he allegedly raped the girl.
A crowd had gathered on Wednesday at George Street, where Baba Yellow lives, to lynch the old man, whom the resident alleged has been a notorious rapist.
The angry crowd, consisting of market women, house wives and petty traders, dragged Baba Yellow on the ground and stripped him naked.
The crowd went on to parade him on the streets as they kept booing and insulting him for allegedly raping children and women with his charms.
The timely intervention of the police, who whisked him away, saved the old man from being killed.
Residents alleged that Baba Yellow had spent three years in Kirikiri Prison in Lagos State for a similar crime.
It was gathered that in 2011, Baba Yellow was also detained at the Alade Police Station in Shomolu for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl.
A resident said parents have warned their girl children not to go near Baba Yellow.
A source said: “We parents in Shomolu know the atrocities of Baba Yellow.
“This man lives in a shanty and he has boasted about his exploit.
“He is well known for luring young and innocent girls into his one room apartment where he rapes them.
“Even married women are not spared as this old dirty man uses charm to lure them.”
A resident narrated how Baba Yellow was exposed.
The resident said: “We got information that Baba yellow has been having carnal of the girl on a daily basis until Monday when a neighbour caught the girl coming out of Baba Yellow’s house and the woman reported to the guardian of the girl and the girl confessed.
“After the confession, the guardian moved to George Street where residents confirmed the ugly incident.
“The guardian raised the alarm and people came out to deal with Baba Yellow.”
When asked why he raped the girl, Baba Yellow defended himself, saying she is a flirt who threw herself at him.
He said: “It was the girl that lured me.
“Each time she comes to my house, she will pull her cloth up and tell me to look at her breast.
“So that is how she kept coming to me so you can see that she is a flirt and has become a spoilt child.”
It was gathered that the girl has been taken to Oguntolu General Hospital in Shomolu for medical check up.
Meanwhile, the residents are pleading with the police authority and the government to relocate Baba Yellow to an asylum so that girls and women in Shomolu will walk freely without being sexually harassed.
A resident, who simply identified herself as Mama Seun, said: “He (Baba Ijebu) should be sanctioned and relocated to an asylum so as to save our girl children from the sex pervert.
“They should not allow him return to Shomolu as he is a threat to the women and girls and we are tired of him harassing girls of two years, three years.
“We are fed up and tired of his juju (charms) that he uses on girls.
“The police and the Lagos State Government should relocate him for our own good because if he continues to stay, he will hypnotise women and lure girls into his den where he later rapes them.”

Lawan, Boniface arraigned, remanded in prison custody

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime, Hon. Farouk Lawan, and the Secretary of the committee, Emenalo Boniface, were on Friday morning arraigned before High Court 4 of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for offences bordering on receiving gratification in the course of their duty.
The presiding judge, Justice M.N. Oniyangi, ordered their remand in prison custody until February 8, 2013 when their plea for bail would be taken.
Lawan and Boniface were accused of soliciting for a $3 million bribe from the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Femi Otedola, in the course of their duties in the monitoring of the fuel subsidy regime.
They were, however, able to collect $620,000 before security agencies moved in to arrest them.
The suit against Lawan and Boniface was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory by the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Federal Ministry of Justice, O.O. Fatunde, on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Count One of the seven count charges described the $3 million “as inducement to remove the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime’s Report and did cause the House of Representatives to remove the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the said list and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26 (1) © of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 8(1) of the same Act.”